The waterway around Union Terrace is divided. Cedar Creek, in addition to running in front of the Amphitheater stage, also runs on the elementary school side of the former ice skating pond. The leg of the creek that connects the two branches runs along the north side of the pond. Two bridges used to cross that creek leg; one for former train branch line and one for park users. The train branch line ended service to Wentz's Memorial Company years ago. The park department has also ended service to park users...The people bridge has also been removed. The park can no longer be entered from Walnut Street.
On the north side of the park along Walnut Street, the steel plates from which the metal skaters were cut, now stand stranded from their cutouts. Between them, across the now bridge-less creek leg, the pond is full of algae.
Union Terrace was the last major WPA project in Allentown. Ice skating at the pond was an Allentown ritual. The park was a former source of pride for all citizens, regardless of where they lived in Allentown.
As an advocate for the traditional park system and the WPA, I get very frustrated by having to use the adjective former so often when writing about our park features.
After I saw the pedestrian bridge boarded-off last year so that nobody could cross, I foolishly hoped that it was going to be repaired or replaced. That hope was dashed last month when the bridge was removed and grass seed put down in the area, indicating to me that no further work is expected there.
ReplyDeleteI know the city just changed its motto a short time ago, but perhaps it should be changed again.
I'm thinking either "Allentown: Enjoy less, and get used to it" or "Allentown: Enjoy less, and like it" would be more fitting, at least for this administration.
On a somewhat related note, I have noticed the LCA frequently at the spot where the Mill Creek (or Mill Run?) goes under Union Street. I believe that's what the creek is called that branches off from the Cedar Creek just south of the Reading Road Bridge and goes around the UT pond as you note. Those driving on Union Street might not even notice that they're passing over a small bridge and stream.
ReplyDeleteI believe the LCA is actively monitoring the debris that builds up at that bridge (it's very low to the creek, even when the creek is at normal height) and think they are removing the debris buildup regularly.
That's important, since during heavy rains the debris buildup there (and the low clearance on the bridge) makes the water back up on the Mill Creek/Run. Those living in the area know that this then causes more water in the creek to spill into the pond (on the Walnut Street side of the pond, often flooding Union Street) and (in very heavy storms) then spills back the other way onto Walnut Street (which is also affected by runoff from insufficient or clogged storm drains on Hamilton).
The significance of all that being is that the flooding during storm events is not caused in any way by the Reading Road Bridge, which the Cunningham Administration at Lehigh County tried to blame when they wanted to replace the historic Reading Road Bridge (which you fought against).
So while I don't think highly of the LCA, and the deal with them has been horrible for city residents, this is one thing that they're doing right.
This is so sad. My brother and I went to Union Terrace Elementary School, and I fondly remember my late Dad teaching us to ice skate on that pond. And, even though I now live in Colorado, I gladly share with folks my wonderful memories of ice skating there - especially during winter recess in 4th, 5th, and 6th grades (ice skating during winter recess surprises a lot of folks!). I’m extremely grateful for that experience and for those memories, and it saddens me to know other children and adults will no longer enjoy the same experience. So sad indeed. ⛸
ReplyDelete11:42 - I can also remember skating on the pond when I was younger, and there was something special about skating outside until you froze and then warming up at the burn barrel. I don't know why the city stopped it, but I've always assumed that it was discontinued due to safety or liability concerns about injuries and people falling through where the ice was thin.
DeleteWhile I don't have many kind words for Pawlowski and his time running the city, early in his first term there was a temporary pond created in the parking lot at Cedar Beach, complete with a skate rental shack.
I often think that the city setting something like that up at Union Terrace (across Union Street from the pond) would be a fun addition for the winter months and would bring back some of the nostalgia from the past.
I'm not holding my breath however, since original ideas and a desire to do more than the minimum are in short supply in City Hall.
I doubt many of your readers play Pokemon Go, but I have a family member who loves it. The metal skater statues, both the cutout portions and the metal plates from which they came from, factor into the game.
ReplyDeleteWhile the cutouts on Union Street are correctly identified in the game as ice skaters, the metal plates with the skaters missing (one of which is shown in your photo above) are identified as "Judo Kick".
I don't know if that was just a mistake or a way for the game to differentiate the two sets of statues, but I often wonder if those playing the game and the children who attend the nearby schools have any idea that people used to be allowed to skate on the pond.